1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a computer data print-out system using a stencil printer with a stencil master making means, and more particularly to a computer data print-out system using a stencil printer with a stencil master making means which causes the stencil printer to print out data made by a computer such as a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, data made by a personal computer is often printed out by a printer. When printing out character data andor image data made by a personal computer, a printer driver exclusive for a particular type of printer is installed in the personal computer. The printer driver converts the character data and the like made by the personal computer to resolution-dependent raster image data which conform to the resolution of the printer in response to print command from the application side and makes resolution-dependent print data including the raster image data and print control data. The printer driver inputs the resolution-dependent print data thus made into the printer and causes the printer to print out the data made by the personal computer. Accordingly when the type of the printer connected to a personal computer is changed, the printer driver generally must be changed according to the type of the printer to be connected to the personal computer.
Further, there has been known a stencil printer with a stencil master making means which reads out an image on an original to make image data, makes a stencil master according to the image data and prints out a number of copies using the stencil master. Further there has been proposed a computer interface unit for a stencil printer which connects such a stencil printer to a personal computer to input print data output from the personal computer to the stencil printer and causes the stencil printer to make print according to the print data. Such a system including a stencil printer with a stencil master making means, a computer interface unit and a computer will be referred to as "a computer data print-out system using a stencil printer", in this specification.
FIG. 5 shows a conventional a computer data print-out system using a stencil printer which carries out printing according to print data output from a personal computer. The system comprises a personal computer 1, a stencil printer 3 with a stencil master making unit and a computer interface unit 2 connected between the personal computer 1 and the stencil printer 3. The computer interface unit 2 receives resolution-dependent print data from the personal computer 1, makes page print data (output data) for the stencil printer 3 on the basis of address data, raster image data, page discharge data and the like in the resolution-dependent print data, and inputs the output data into the stencil printer 3. The stencil printer 3 makes print according to the output data input from the computer interface unit 2. Further it is possible to cause the stencil printer 3 to make print according to print data output from another personal computer 4 through, for instance, a LAN.
In the conventional system, the personal computer makes print data conforming to the resolution of the stencil printer connected to the computer interface unit and the computer interface unit is generally not provided with resolution changing function. Accordingly, in a system where stencil printers of different resolutions, e.g., 300 dpi, 400 dpi and 600 dpi, are selectively connected to the computer interface unit, image information cannot be output in correct print positions and deformation of the image such as expansion and contraction of the image or image avalanche can be generated in the printed image if the resolution of the stencil printer actually connected to the computer interface unit differs from that the personal computer has expected.
Further, in the case where the personal computer can make print data only in a predetermined resolution, it is possible to arrange the computer interface unit to convert the resolution of the print data as output from the personal computer to that for a stencil printer which is expected to be connected to the computer interface unit. However also in this case, if a stencil printer of different resolution is connected to the computer interface unit, normal printing cannot be obtained.
Further when print data output from a remote personal computer which is connected to the computer interface unit through, for instance, a LAN, is to be printed, the operator of the personal computer cannot know the resolution of the stencil printer and it is difficult for the operator to conform the print data to the resolution of the stencil printer.